The ability of the brain to change in response to experience and use is well recognized as brain plasticity, and is a fundamental property of the brain nervous system. This adaptive behavior of the brain allows it to learn and remember, to refine movements and to recover function after injury.
Many forms of brain's cellular plasticity based on new sensitive research methods are known in the art. In some distinct areas of all adult mammalian brains (the subventricular zone, SVZ, of the lateral ventricle and the dentate gyrus subgranular zone, SGZ, of the hippocampus) new neurons and glia cells originating from neural stem cells are continuously produced. In a normal adult brain, SVZ-derived neuroblasts migrate along the rostral migratory stream to the olfactory bulb, where these cells differentiate into interneurons to replace those that have died.
Rats that have experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI) display cognitive recovery as early as 2 weeks after injury (Emery et al., 2005). At the same time, newborn neurons extend axonal projections into the hippocampal CA3 region, a phenomenon which possibly contributes to the observed recovery. Following TBI, neuroblasts migrating from the SVZ can differentiate into neurons and glia (Kernie et al., 2001). A recent review by Xiong et al. (Discov Med 2010) discusses selected cell-based and pharmacological therapies, that activate and amplify these endogenous restorative brain plasticity processes to promote both repair and regeneration of an injured brain tissue and that improve functional recovery after TBI.
It is also noted that learning co exists with higher brain activity (Rosenbaum et al 2005), thus suggesting that if a proper training is employed, the brain plasticity will allow the regions subjected to the training to improve their activity in terms of both higher connectivity between existing brain cells and the number of cells functioning in the affected brain systems.
Niehaus (et al. 2001) reported that stimulation of the brain in 10 hz frequency has an effect on the autonomic nervous system. It is shown to be possible to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system by artificial electromagnetic transmissions operating at 10 Hz, with no significant interference with other nerve pathways. Kahana (2006) showed that brain activity can be traced using EEG (Electroencephalography).
During the development stages of the human brain, certain proteins direct newly generated brain cells in the appropriate time through brain's buildup into specific nervous systems, in which they “learn” to perform and to handle the developing body.
This process is controlled by the amount of protein synthesized at the given stage, which is governed by the genetic heritage of an individual.
It therefore remains a long felt and unmet need to provide novel means and methods of treatment which are personalized to individual patients.